Reverse plating mechanism and process



3 1927. 1,627,290 May H. LAWSON REVERSE PLATING MECHANISM AND PROCESSFiled Nov. 22. 1926 -6 Sheets-Sheet l Imvemio? 1307267 2 IiLQZl/MSO771,

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R. H. LAWSON REVERSE PLATING MECHANISM AND PROCESS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 I?oveW/Zor ZZ IlLaw Q" 7 Filed Nov. 22. 1926 Babe :9

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' E 1,627,290 y 1927' R, H. LAWSON REVERSE PLATING MECHANISM AND PROCESSFiled Nov. 22. 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 0 a 1/ 62 Fig 3 Fg 8 55 fiE vzmscmar/M 87 May 3 7' R. H. LAWSON ]'627'290 REVERSE PLA'IING MECHANISM ANDPROCESS Filed Nov. 22. 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet I /I I 11/! 22 MMM 4 andprocessior efi'ecting reverse plating,

Patented May 1927.

UNITED STATES ROBERT E. LAWSON, CF PAWTUGKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR '10HEMPHILL'COM- 7 PANY, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAI VD, A CORI'ORATIONOF MASSACHUSETTS.

' REVERSE PLATING IMZEGH Alil 'ISlfll AND R JOCESS.

Application filed Novemher 22; 1926. Serial No. 149,952.

This application is a continuation as to all commonsubject-matter of myco-pend ng application Serial' No. 111,77 filed May 26,

This invention relates to improved means particularly in rgachineshavingindependently operated needles.

\ In order that the principle of the invention may be, readilyunderstood, certain embodiments thereof are disclosed in t-heaccompanying drawings, wherein Y Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of a circularknitting machine having the invention applied thereto I e Fig. 2 is adetail showing in rear elevation a portion of th'e mechanism of theinvenneedles;

- nism in a machine of the character chosen for illustration;

Fig. 6' is a vertical central section of thestructure shown in Fig.

Fig. 7 is a plan view or the latch; ring and of the cams to move the webholders and special instru'mentalities; f

Fig.. 8 is an inside view of a part-of the head of the knitting machineshowing. the web holders, special instrumentalities and Fig. 9represents in side elevation eleven different positions of a specialweb: holder and the adjacent needle in the formation of a reverselyplated: loop;

Fig. 9 represents in side elevation a neele and the two plating yarns insuccessive positions the formation of reverse platg; I h Fig. 9 is aperspective. view of two of the special web holders showing contrastinglength butts;

Fig. 10 isa view similar to Fig.- 9, \but representing in successivepositions a regular web holder and'adjacent; needle in the formation ofnormal plating;-. v v

Fig. 10- is a view similar to Fig. 9 but representing the positions fornormal plat: ing; and Fig. 11 is a plan upon an enlarged scale ofcertain of the web holders and; special in:

strumental-ities and the special cams crating the same.

' In Patent No. 1,605,895, dated November for op- 2, 1926, .means aiedisclosed for effecting holders, and there is provided means forshifting or altering during the knitting op eration the point or pointsat which the reverse plating is effected. In the disclosed embodiment ofthe invention the plating is effected in lines, bands or blocksextendinglengthwise the hosiery or other article. In said disclosed embodiment ofthe invention the reverse plating is accomplished through the action ofspecially shaped Web holders,

or like instrumentalities, each of which is placed alone in a radialgroove 0t the web holder sinker ring; and at the points or areas wherenormal plating is to occur, regular'web holders or likeinstrumentalitiesare provided.-

This invenflion is radically contrasted with machines for making thosefabrics wherein a lengthwise extending stripe is produced by floatingone of the two plating yarns at predetermined'times. In accordance withthis invention the plating of the fabric throughout the whole or apredetermined extent thereof is effected in any usual manner, and

at predetermined -lengthwise extending areas, a 'reversal ofthe-platingoperation is efl'ectedi- That is, upon c ertainpredeterminedparts of the plated work,'one of the threads is caused to appearupon theouter face of the fabric, and in other parts the.

other thread is caused to appear upon the said outer face thereof, thussecuring lengthwise striping. Such striping may be characterized bycontinuous or long stripes, or by short or interrupted stripes, orvarious combinations of continuous and interrupted stripes may beresorted to, as more fully described and as illustrateclin said PatentNo. 1,605 895. s

Independent tween which are positioned casting off in-v strumentalitiesherein shown as web holders,

and;when no vertical striping is to beefjfected, all said web holders orinstrumentalities act in what maybe termed a normal needles areemployed, his-- manner, so that what may be termed normal platingresults. Certain of said web holders or instrumentalities are,however,.of peculiar formation, and when reverseplatmg is to be.produced,-such webholders or instrumentalities of special formationareIprojected inward at an earlier point circumferentiallyconsidered,.so'as to engage the yarn which was the back yarn duringnormal plating, and so to position the same that it becomes the face orfront'yarn. By the employment of suitable means, preferably automatic,the normal plating may. be interrupted at any point, and reverse platingmay be effected at any desired wale or wales and continued for as few orfor as many courses as desired, then to be replaced by normal plating.

Such normal and reverse platmgare effected without any change in therelatlve tension of the two yarns and no measuring of the yarn iseffected in the formation of the loops, as is characteristicoffullfashioned machines.

The'machine, herein shown as one upon which the invention may bepracticed, need .not' be specially described inasmuch as it is shownasthe well known Banner or Hemphill machine. Briefly, it is to be noted.that the machine is of the independent needle type and that theneedlesare desirably latch needles. Therefore, there is provided" upon asuitable framework 1,as upon a standard 2 rising from the bed plate 3thereof, a latch ring 4 equipped with suitable binder mecha-' nismgeneral y indicated at 5, and operative-. ly connected to link and levermechanism 6 controlled from the patterndrum 7 u on the pattern drumshaft 8, The entire mec anism is driven from the main shaft 9 havingthereon the usual pulleys 10 and also the usual gearing for impartingrotary and re-' ciprocatingr movements in a well known manner. hemechanism is also provided. with the usual narrowing pickers and theusual widening pickers, one each of which is indicated at 11, 12,respectively. These pickers are desirably those of the said Bannermachine and require-no further description. The needle cylinder isindicated at 13 and within the grooves thereof are re.- ceived theindependently operated latch needles .14. At the vuppervend of theneedle cylinder is provided the web holder receiviangrand operatingmechanism which is gen.- erally similar to that of the Banner machine,but altered in accordance with the invention. The web holder bed ring ishere; in shown at 15. Positioned thereabove is the sinker cam ring 16,shown most clearly in Figs. 5 and 6. The web holder bed ring is rovidedwith the usual radial grooves wit in which are located atthe pointswhere normal plating is always to occur, web holders or likeinstrumentalities 17 of usual there are provided substantially as usualthe brackets '18, 19 which cooperate with the stationary upstandingbracket 2 in suitable positioning the sinker or web holder cam ring forreciprocating knitting.

There is provided certain operating mechanism for so positioning thespecial web holders as tomove the same radially inward at an earlierpoint, as hereinbefore referred to, and herein for the purpose twolevers are provided which act upon said specially shaped web holderswhich for the purpose of lever actuation are made of two contrastingshapes at their outer ends or butts so .as to permit each lever to actonly upon the special web holders pertaining thereto, and arrangedsingly or in groups as desired throughout the circle ofneedles; anddesirably these two or other desired number of levers are mounted andpositioned in a manner similar to that shown in said Patent No.1,605,895, although this inventionis not limited. tosuch arrangement.

The regular web holders, as already stated, are indicated at 17, andthey are provided with the usual butts 17 or tails'so as to be actedupon by the stationary web holder cams most clearly indicated in Fig. 5at 20, 1

2 1, 22, 23. They may be varied inform in accordance with operatingconditions, and A the invention is in no wise limited to the particularform thereof shown. Each such web holder (within which definition isincluded the so-called sinkerh is mounted for a groove of the web holderbed ring 15d,

orm of special web holder or instrumentality herein shown and claimed,namely, that form shown in Fig.

9, it is to be noted. that said specially formed web holder or'specialinstrumentality indicated at 24, and is provided with a tail or butt 25upstanding therefrom. Although there is shown in said figure but oneheight or length of tail or butt 25, it is to be understood that whenemploying two operating levers, contrastingly formed tails or butts areprovided, which desirably distinguish from each other in hei ht. w

Said special form 0 web holder or inltrumentality 24 which isparticularly no i in and out or'radial sliding movement in :1

adapted to a coarser yarn or a yarn of intermediate size, but which use.is obviously not limited to employment with such yarns, is provided witha vertical edge 26 extending to substantially the height shown in Fig. 9and elsewhere, at which point an upwardly and rearwardly inclined edge27 is provided, terminating in a point 28 beyond which is a curved edge29 merging into the downwardly extending-vertical edge 30. Below thevertical edge- 26 is a relatively shallow but relatively Wide notchorrecess30. g The action of this special form of web holder in reverseplating will be fully de-' scribed at a subsequent point.

Radially outside of the cam point 22' of the sinker ca'm ringand at sucha point as to engage theouter end portion or butt 25 or the'like of thespecial webholders, are provided two levers 31, 32 pivoted at 33 upon asuitable bracket or part of the ma chine, herein the web holder camring. The

shortends 31, 32 of said levers are'actively engaged by springs 31", 32"tending normally to force the opposite or functioning end of said leversoutwardly. The inner or opposite end of said levers 31, 32 are hereshown as having cam formations or faces which are normally moved out offunction ing relation or position into outer or non functioning position(that is, for normal plating) by means of said springs 31' 32", it beingunderstood that the function of said cam formations is to move thespecial web holders inward so as to cause them to push the back threadof normal plating into position to be the face thread of reverseplating. There are providedmeans preferably acting automatically to movethe longer ends of said levers 31, 32 inwardly, andLfor that purposethere is shown the following mechanism, to which this invention is in nowise restricted and which "may be and desirably is substantially thesame as. that shown in said patent. 1

As most clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, a bracket .or standard 34 isprovided in which are mounted for sliding movement two bars 35, 36 ofwhich the overlyin or upper bar strikes a, suitable pin 37 (see iig 5)upon the overlying cam lever 32 and the lower bar 36 strikes a pin:38.npon the underlying cam lever 31. Thus at times determined by therespective controlling means for the said bars, one or the other of thesaid cams 31,32 is moved radially, inward sufliciently, for it to'causethe special web holders controlled by it to-engage the back yarn andeffect reverse plating in a manner already referred to. v

Each bar 35, 36 is connectedby a pin, one of which is indicated at 39in'Fig. 5 to the properlever 40,41, pivoted at 42 upon the framing ofthe machine so as to be swung in a horizontal lane at the proper timeSaid levers, whicll are also indicated generally in Fig. 1,i are notchedor suitably formed at their outer ends to be engaged by the ends 43, 44of hell crank levers pivoted at 45 upon the bracket 34, and arerespectivel connected at 46, 47 to downwardly extend I ing links 48, 49.which, as shown in Fig. 1

entendwdownward to controlling pattern' f"d1 sks' or members 50, 51 uponthe pattern shaft '8. Said disks or members 50, 51 are of proper shape"to impart the in and out movement to said cam levers 43,- 44, at thepredetermined time so as in the operation of the mechanism tocausei'everse plating to occur whenevcr either ofsald levers 43, 44,

or both of them, is or are moved inwardly.

If the article being-knitted is ahose or stocking the said disk members50, 51 are desirably so shaped as to cause reverse plating to ceaseduring heeland toe work, and at that time a special heel and toe yarn isor may be introduced. In Figs. 7 and '8 tion the feeding of two yarns inplating re lation, namely, the black yarn 52, which in normal plating isthe back yarn, and the white yarn 5 3, which in. normal plating is.the'face yarn; These two yarns are supplied through corresponding yarnguides 52, 53', mounted in the usual manner with ille group of yarnguides of the Banner machine so as to enter the throat thereof in a wellunderstoodniahner. Inproper relation to thesaid yarn guides or needlesare positioned-the knitting cams, not herein shown, but which aredesirably of the usual type in the Banner machine.

Desirably the regular web holders are'provided with short upwardlyextending butts, and the special web holders interspersed theream'ongorarranged as desired to pr o is represented in eleva vide thepredetermined pattern, are provided with longer butts, and said longerbutts are contrastinglys'haped among themselves so as tocooperaterespectively with the cam portions of the levers 31, 32.

" Referringnow 'to that form of special web holder shown in Figs. 9 and11, it is to 'be understood that the butt 25 thereof is to be operatedupon by the regular fixed cams 20,21, 22, 23 of-the web holder cam ringso; long as said special web holders act in forming normal plating, butwhenthey are. to be pushed in at an earlier pointcircumferem tiallyconsidered, as indicated in Fig. '5, they are then-acted upon by thecamper-tion of whichever lever 31, 32 is apportioned thereto. In otherwords, if the butts or heels 25 of these special web holders are mediuman long respectively, then the medium length butts are acted upon bythelower cam lever 31 and the longerbutts are operated on by the upperlever 32. Within the .scope of my invention but a single lever 31 or32.01

single instruinentality for the pur use may act upon all the s beingdetermined in accordance with the simplicity or compleizity of thepattern.

If a stocking without the vertical strlping is desired, that is; ifsolid, or what may herein be termed normal plating, is to be an earlierperiod by means of the proper cam lever 31, 32, so as to causeeach ofsaid special web holders that is-to functionjn the creation ofreverseplating to engage the black yarn 52, which in normal plating isthe back yarn, so as to move the same 1nwardly .in advance of the whiteyarn 53 which had appeared at the front in normal plating. The result isto roduce stripes of a width determined'by the number of consecutivespecial web holders, and of a length dependent upon the length'of timethe cam.

lever 3l" or 32 is in its inner radial position, and which in turnisdependent upon the pattern control a 1 I Reference is made "at certainpoints in't'he preceding portion of the specification to the effect-thatthe special web holders or instrumentalities engagethe yarn which wasthe back yarn during normal 'plati and so position the same that itbecomes ,t egfaceor front yarn, but such reference isnot intended to beinconsistent with statements else wherema'de that. said specialinstrumentalis ties at certain times engage both the: yarns, the firstmentioned statementbeing particularly concernedwith the saidback-yarn-and not being intended as a statement directed wholly. orexclusively to said back yarn.

Viewing Figs. 8 and I1, it is to be understood that the yarn shown at.52, being more to the left in each of said figures, is fed withouttension and that the yarn 53 is tenjsioned as by tensiondisks, such asshown in :1 said -patent.- ,It will also be observed that the arn-53whi' ch in normal'plating appears it: t 'e .frontfor. outer face of thefabric is I introduced slightly in advance circumferem' tiallyofthe-yarnfifi; Thetension upon the "yarn 53 is maintained atal'l-times when normal or reverse platingis being eflected. i It will be und rstoodthat inplating, the {arnto'the'fron of the needles is the one which appears onthe back (inside) of the finished stocking or other article. 'In;.jnor-"tension, and the other yarn which in; the

tension appears on the outside hr :faceof Su'glr'web holder orinstrumentality has the mal plating, this, is the yarn whichin thepreferred practice'ofthe invention is without preferred practiceof-thi's invention is-under the finish stocking. or other article. I

cial web hol ers. thisj In normal plating, tliefront yarn, which isnnder. tension, strikes the' needles more quickly, and lower down" onthe stems thereof, than does the back yarn, but the back yarn firstengages the needles higher up and in-thedisclosedembodiment of theinvention v 'itmay be in the'hooks thereof. The said front yarn, as, forexample, the yarn 53, will get up into the hook of each needle last, andwill in normal plating tend to actas a wedge to force the back yarntoward the front of the hook of the nee dle.

' In reverse the tension 0 the tensi'hned yarn, herein the front yarn,and the other yarn is still permitted to be. fed without tension, butthe action of the special we'bholders or instrumentalities is, with t-heother cooperating parts, such as to effect a reversal in the position ofthe two arns.' In normal plating as; each needle ta es the threads anddraws I them down overthe shoulders of the web holders, ,both',th're'ads crowd-against the shanks of one or' more ofthe needlesimmediately behind the rearmost needle which is just pulling the threadover a web holder shoulder. This crowding action is dueto the fact thatthe-needles are carried by the.

fplating, there is no change in rotating needle cylinder, or motherwords are revolving-about-the axis of the needle cylinder, as will-beunderstood from an inspection of Figs." 5, 6, etc., the needles takingthe th'readsyas' theydo ordinarily in a machine of thei-type shown.During normal plating the'twothreads, fed; in the customary manner. inaplating relation are drawn or crowdedtoward thegouter side of the i{needle,-cyl inder, and the threads are mainfitaine'd, in thisrelationship while the needles :continue-to move downwardlyand draw ad 1lditiojnal thread-to form both needle and L sinker loops of the lengthrequiredin knit- -ting.. The maintenance of the threads in this-definiteand predetermined relationship to each other during the loop formingoperation is incidental to the feeding of the yarns in a platingrelationand the. drawin of the said'yarn by the needle's'as so fed. 0long as the knitting'operationproceeds in this manner-fa plated fabricwill be. produced and a substantia'll b ack inner surface, the fabric atthe knitting point being inside out.

lf duringthe initialsta es of the stitch forming operation, a speciainstrumentality or device is pressed against the sides of the threadopposite to the shank ofthe needle hook, the threads "can be reversed.Fora this .PurP' Se thereisref lab y eniployed a special instrumentaityin thegeneral nature of a web holder and functioning as such in thenormalplating operation, and

having-asubstantiall white outer surface for this purposethe special webholders or instrumentali'ties are represented usual web supportingshoulder 54 like a regular web holder, and it has the work engaging faceor edge 26 already referred to, which is here shown as vertical orextending parallel to the axis of the needle. In the said parentapplication Serial No. 111,770, Fig 13 shows four difi'erent posi tionsof a specialinstrumentality and the adjacent needles, but withoutat-temptin to show all the positions for either normal p ating orreverse plating during the downward or loop drawing movement of theneedle. In said Fig. 13, the first two posit-ions indicate reverseplating and the third and fourth positions indicate normal plating andare intended simply to show that form of special instrumentality and toindicate the use thereof. 4

, In a standard gauge Banner machine of the needle and three and ahalfinch diameter, employing two hundred and forty needles in the needlecircle, there are .eleven needles counting from the needle in thelowermost position in Fig. 8 upward to the needle just preced-- ing thatwhich is in position to begin its downward movement. This actualstructure is shown in Fig. 8 of this application.

In Fig. 9 are represented twelve positions of a needle and its specialinstrumentality,

being the positions of the twelve needles just referred to and also theneedle which has just commenced its subsequent upward movement. r Inother words, in Fig. 9 are represented eleven positions which areassumed by eachneedle .that has associated therewith a specialinstrumentality, andalso said instrumentality, it being understood thatintermediate those positions are other variant therefrom.

' Referring to said Fig. 9, and also to Figs. 8 and 11, the relation ofthe two threads,-

the special instrumentality.

, will be clear. In position No. '1 the needle ment. In the secondposition,

the needle,

14 is at the upper level shown in Fig. 8 and the two threads 52, 53 arein proximity to the special web holder 24 not having yet commenced itsinward movesaid special web holder has not'yet commenced its inwardmovement, but the needle hasjust be-. gun its descent. In the thirdposition, the special webholder or instrumentality has not. yet;commenced its inward movement,

but the needlehas moved slightly further downward. In the fourthposition, the spe-' cial instrumentalityhas been moved slightly.

thereto, the needle has urther downward, and the closer relation to theor 32 pertainin moved slightly two threads are in Y needle'st-ein. Inthe fifth position, the special web holder has been moved inwardslightly further, so that the lower or tensioned thread 53 has now beenengaged by' theedge or face 26 thereof,'and the upper or 'non-tensionedthread :52 has not as et been engaged by said edge 26. a In the sixth o-.sltion, the special mstrumentality 24 as been moved further inward,and, having its edge 26 in engagementwith both threads 52, 53, ispushing both of them inward, the needle being now moved slightly furtherdownward. In the seventh position, the special instrumentality 2 f hasbeen moved slightly further inward. Both threads 52,

53 are still-in engagement with the edge 26,

and are therefore being pushed inwardly, and the needle is being movedstill further downward. In the eighth position, the specialinstrumentality 24 is in the sanie -pos1- tion as in the seventhposition, and the tensioned thread 53 has now slipped off the lower edgeof the face 26 into the recess 30', the non-tension'ed thread 52 beingstill engaged by the edge or face 26, and it is thus brought into aposition insuring its appearance at the outer face of the fabric.

In other words, the position of said thread .52 is thus reversed fromthe position it oclating. In the eighth o-' cu ies in normal P as movedslightly furt er.

sition, the needle downward. In the ninth position, cialinstrumentality24 is still in' the same position, further downward, andboth the .yarnsor threads 52, 53 are now within the recess 30',

the spebut the needle has moved slightly '0 but in the relation to eachother necessary 24 has'been moved slightly further in, but now by theregular cam, and the needle is moved slightly further downward. In the53 during the initial steps in the formation of the reversely platedloops.

' It will be evident thatthe face. or edge,

26 of each special instrumentality 24 is for reverse plating. In thetenthand elev- "enth positions, the special instrumentality "ion twelfthposition. the needle has commenced the threads or yarns at an abnormovedinto enga er'nent with both the threads or yarns w ile the needles drawthe threads downwardly toward the shoulders of the said special webholders, that is,

toward the shoulder 54.

' While I have in the specification generally used the term specialinstrumentality or special ,web holder, it is to be understood thatwithin this definition, aspecialsinker,

so-called, is comprehended. It will. also be understood that theso-called regular, web

holdersfmayalso be and in practicelfre- I quently are termed sinkers"andtha the portions thereof overhanging the shoulders maybe termed beaksIn the knitting operation, as .the web holders, whether regular orspecial instrumentality, approach the point in their orbits or pointsofrotation gatwhich the,

the movable or auxiliary cams or cam levers 31, 32, engage the'bfitts 25of the special ing operation than do the regular web There is, as-

each special instrumentality 24.- 4

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment .of the invention, itis to be knitting needles,-maintaining a threads, pressing against thethreads later-. ally at one side thereof 'during'the initialinstrumental1ties24 and. force said special instrumentalities into engaementwith the work at an earlier point in the stitch formholders, asalready stated. already stated, a differential tension established withrespect to the twothreads'52, 53,

but in the practice of this invention, prefer-.

ably there is tension appliedfto the lower thread 53, and the upperthread is fed substantially without tension. The feedin of the threadsin the position indicated and the maintenance of the relative tension,which is maintained during both normal and reverse plating, preservesthe describedv relationship of the two threads 52, 53, in normal platingwhile the needles continue to move downward and draw the thread in theloop formin operation. v t

In e ecting reverse plating, the special instrumentalities 24 are movedin, as stated,

at a relativ ely' earlier period than are the regular the initi stagesof the stitch forming operation, with the result that during theinitialstages of the stitch forming-operation, both threads are engagedand are moved or pushed by the vertical face 26 or edge of understoodthat although specific terms are employed, they are used in a genericand' --descriptive sense, and not for purposespf limitation, the sco eof the invention being set forth in the following claims:

1. That improvement in, the process of knitting plated fabrics"whichconsists in feeding two theradssimultaneously to the greater tension on"one thread than the other during the feeding thereof, causingsaid'needles to.

engage the threads to form loops in said steps in the formation ofnormal loops, and reversing the relative positions] of' said threads incertain of theloops by pressing engaging and pushin between adjacentneec les during the Initial vgebrholders, and this occurs during aagainst the opposite sides of the threads during the initial steps inthe formation of the latter loops.

.2. That improvement' in the process of forming stripes in knittingplated fabrics taneously to a series ofneedles, causing said needles todraw said threads over a series of sinkers, and thereby form loops inthe threads, maintaining a greater tension on one ofsaid threads thanthe other during the feeding thereof and. thereby maintaining thetensioned thread normally at one face 'of the" knitted fabric, andreversing the threads at certain of the sinkersib ,causrng whichconsists in feeding two threads simulthe latter sinkers .to engage the-treads at an abnormally early point in the loop forming operation.

3. In a knitting machine, the combination with a series of needles andthe u'sual sinkers cooperating with said needles, of means for feeding apluralit taneously to said need es, means for mainof threads simul--taining a differential tension on said threads,

devices interspersed with said sinkers for against the threads steps ofthe stitch formin operation, and

means for moving said devices into enga ement with the threads while theneed es draw the threads downwardly toward ,the

sinker shoulders,

4. In a knittingmachine, the combination bf a series of needles, sinkerscooperating with said needles, devices for feeding two threadssimultaneously to said needles,

means. for maintaining a considerablev tension on one of said threads'while allowing the other'thread to feed more freely, sinkersintersperse'd'with the first mentioned sinkersand having faces to engageand push special against said threads, and sinker operatingmechanism-including means for moving the special sinkers a ainstthethreads'held by. the needles in a Vanceof the other sinkers andwhile; the needles are carr ing saidthreads down tothe shoulders ofsinkers."

' 5 In aknittin machine, the combination of a series of nee les, devices for feeding two threads; simultaneously to .said needles,

means for maintaining a greater tension on e special 7 one of saidthreads than the other, sinkers" cooperating with all of said needlesand. j 12" including both' sinkers of theusual type and also specialsinkers located at ints where vertical stripes are to .be made inthefabri'c, ecial sinkers having web supporting said s shoul ers' andalso having,.-parts'above said shoulders for engaging the portions ofthe threads between the .needles'as the needles draw the threads downtowardysaid shoulders, cams for operating all .of said sinkers in thesame time relationshipto the movements of the needles,-and. 'anauxiliarycam for operating the special sinkers when desired to cause them toengage the threads while the threads are being moved downwardly towardthe sinker shoulders.

6. In a knitting machine, the combination of a series of needles,devices for feeding two threads simultaneously to said needles, meansfor maintaining a greater tension on one of said threads than the other,two sets of sinkers cooperating with said needles and both having theusual shoulders over which the needles'draw the loops of thread,,one

tween the needles as the needles draw the.

threads downwardly toward the sinker shoulders, and means for throwingsaid auxiliary cam into or out of operation, as desired. e

7. In a circular knitting machine, the combination of a circular seriesof needles, 'means for feeding two threads simultaneously to theneedles, means for maintaining a greater tension on one thread than theother during the feeding thereof, means to cause said needles to engagethe threads to form loops in said threads, the construction andarrangement of the parts causing both threads to press at one sidethereof against the shanks of one or more of the needles during theinitial steps in the formation of normal loops, and means acting toreverse the relative positions of the said threads in certain of theloops by pressing against the opositesides of the threads during theinitial steps in the formationof the reversely plated loops.

8. In a circular knitting machine. the com-- binationiof a circularseries of needles, means for feeding two threads simultaneously to theneedles, means for maintaining a greater tension on one thread than theother during the feeding thereof, means to cause said needles to engagethe threads to form loops in said threads, the construction andarmangement oftheparts causing boththreads to press at one side thereofagainst the shanks of one or more ofthe needles durformation of normalloops, andspecial instrumentalities interspersed between needles'andmovable transversely with respect thereto to reverse the relativepositions of said threads in certain of the loops by pressing againstthe opposite sides of the threads during the ini tial steps in theformation of the reversely [plated loops.

9. In a knitting machine, an

a series of needles fiiterspersed sinkers or web. holders, mean. forfeeding two threads simultane ously to said series of needles, means,for causing said needles to draw said threads over a series of saidsinkersor web holders and thereby to form loops in the threads,

means for maintainin a greater tension on one of said threads than theother during the feeding thereof, and thereby maintaining the tensionedthread normally at one face'of the knitted fabric, and means forreversing the threads at certain of the sinkers or web holders bycausing said certain sinkers or web holders to engage the threads at anabnormally early point forming operation.

10. In a knitting machine, a series of needles, sinkers or web holdersinterspersed thereamong and movable transversely of the series ofneedles, special instrumentalities interspersed among certain of saidneedles and also movable transversely with respect to the needle series,cam means to move said sinkers or web holders transversely of the needleseries, means to feed two threads simultaneously to said needles whilemaintaining a greater tension on one of said threads than the other, andcam means to move said special instrumentalities transversely of theneedle series at an earlier point with respect to said needle seriesthan is done by the cam means for the said sinkers or web holders,thereby effecting reversal of the threads at said specialinstrumentalities by causing the latter to engage the threads at anabnormally early point in the loop forming operation.

11. In a knitting machine, a series of needles, si-nkersor web holdersinterspersed thereamong -and movable transversely of the series ofneedles, special instrumentalities interspersed among certain of saidneedles and also movable transversely with, respect to the needleseries, cam means to move said sinkers or web holderstransversely of theneedle series, means to feed two threads simultaneously to said needleswhile maintaining a greater tension. on one of said threads than theother, said special instrumentalities having among themselvescontrasting formations, and cam means acting selectively to engage'andmove said special instrumentalities transversely of the needle series toengage the threads at anabnormally early eration to effect reversal ofthe threads.

12. In a knitting machine, a series .of

needlcs,sinkers or web holders interspersed thereamong and movabletransversely of the series of needles, special instrumentalitiesinterspersed among certain of said needles and also movable transversely"with respect in the loop point in the loop forming opf to theneedle'series, cam means to'move said sinkers orflweb holders transversely ofthe needle series,v means to feed two'threads si- 'mliltaneouily to saidneedles while maintaininga greatertensi'onon one of said threads thanthe other; said special instrumentali-i -ties having among :themselves'different lengthbutts'fand a plurality of cams positioned' to engagesaidbiitts according'to their lengthsahd selectively to move said'XOspecial instrumentalit-ies transversely'of the needle series, so as toengage the threads at an'abnormally early point in the loop ferming 0eratioli and effect reversal of said \threa s at said specialinstrumentalities.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT H. LAWSON.

